Food Security

I read an Opinion piece this morning regarding Open Borders and the heavy migration of people from South and Central America up through Mexico that focused on the New World Screwworm (NWS).  Southern Mexico has been the focus of containing the NWS since its eradication in regions north many years ago.  The column indicated that the barrier was broken by the Cartels who moved both people and livestock northward through that barrier as authorities "looked the other way" due to potential violence and many bribes.

The cattle carrying the NWS were "legitimized" by being placed in Feedyards and on ranches in Mexico.  It was a way of laundering money for the Cartels.  The barrier holding back the NWS was destroyed through that illegal movement of livestock.

The result was that new reservoirs of the NWS were created across northern Mexico which is home to millions of cattle.  Summer winds, wildlife movement and other factors pushed the NWS across the border into Texas.

We will be unable to stop the spread of NWS unless we can stop the Cartels from laundering money through illegal movement of cattle and other livestock into northern Mexico.  Until that is eliminated, reservoirs of the fly will remain just across the border, providing the source of movement despite closing the border to the entry of live cattle into the U.S.

Food Security is National Security.  The NWS threatens a highly pressured segment of our food supply in the impact it has on cattle production.  The opinion expressed by the Columnist was that Border Security, elimination of the Cartels which engage in drug and human trafficking and elimination of their ability to launder money through illegal movement of livestock is a critical component of securing the U.S. against further spread of NWS.

Food Security has been an issue for humans since the beginning of time.  It can be at the individual, family, community or country level.  It was a serious issue for early pioneers as they founded homesteads and towns in their westward movement across the North American Continent.  An interesting example of one solution was to turn the corn and grapes that they raised into alcoholic products that wouldn't spoil.  Those could then be traded to others for food.

Whiskey was a primary way to store corn produced in the hills of Kentucky and Tennessee and Wine provided a way to capture the proteins and carbohydrates from grapes harvested wild in those same environments.  Human ingenuity at its finest.

We have wild Muscadine Grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) growing in the woods on our place.  I doubt that I will be making any wine from them, but I am happy to see them thriving.  With the way things look in this old world, food security might again become a primary issue to individuals.

 Forecast

The other day I posted about using native plants in our flower beds around the house.  Texas Sage was the one in the photograph that accompanied the post.  It is known as the Barometer Plant and in South Texas it is known for predicting rain with its blooms.  Well, ours is blooming like crazy even though it has only been planted a short while (photo at bottom of post).

We certainly need the rain, but not as desperately as most of the rest of the state and the Southwestern U.S. in general.  Drought conditions continue and rainfall deficits have left many lakes far below their desired levels.  This condition doesn't bode well for the cities and small communities that depend on those lakes for water.

It also continues to pressure the cattle industry.  High beef prices in the grocery store are directly related to declining numbers of cattle and a growing population that demands high quality protein.  We will not see significant rebuilding of the national cow herd when severe drought limits the availability of suitable forage for grazing.

I am concerned that many people both within and outside the cattle industry will seek to blame the problem on something other than the weather.  Generally, it is the beef packers who are saddled with fault when it comes to beef prices.  It is simple economics surrounding supply and demand with production constraints affecting both sides of the equation.  Most don't see it that way and will call for government intervention.  Such intervention will be directed at the packers because they are everyone's favored whipping boy.  It should instead be directed at urban sprawl which is removing suitable grazing land at a pace faster than drought.  The politics don't work so instead of fixing the problem, government intervention will likely only make it worse.

Oil prices are another issue which is constraining not only to cattle production but to almost every industry.  The blame will fall squarely on the current administration and their actions in Iran which have temporarily caused supply disruptions.  This is one where political pressure again will dictate how and when we withdraw from that action rather than suffering the short-term pain in order to receive the long-term gain of curbing the radicalized regime which has long declared "Death to America."

There are many other issues that we currently face, and everyone has their opinion on how they will turn out.  We all have a "forecast" for the future, and it is based on our personal experience, education, and otherwise gained knowledge.  It's too bad that none of it is as reliable as our little Texas Sage, the Barometer Plant.

We had to cage the sage in order to protect it from rabbits as well as a dog that thinks the flower bed is his napping ground.  Pardon the rusty T-post -- I believe in endless recycling.

Symbol of a Bygone Time

 

I know this is not the first time I've led off with the photograph of a Longhorn.  They are picturesque critters and I enjoy seeing the colorful beasts in the pasture.  This one is in fact a Corriente Cross cow and not a pure Longhorn -- whatever such might be.

Painted and splashed with colors galore
She grazes the Great Southern Plains
Not know how symbolic she stands
Of an era dimmed with age.

Once great herds of clicking horns
Trailed up from the brush 
To markets the railways had reached
On their transcontinental quest

Of populating the western reaches
Of a country just beginning to feel
The strength of the mightly economic engine
Swelling with power of imagination

Into the vast unknown lands
Of bewildered tribes who found a new enemy
Much stronger than their ancestral nemises
With whom they had fought for ages.

She and her kind fed the westering hordes
As well as those left behind 
In the growing cities where
Food must be imported from elsewhere.

Today, she is as much a relic
As the American Bison
And the painted natives
That she helped to displace.

Bull Haulers

Sometimes I just hunt through the images stored on my computer until I come across one that catches my attention.  This is from when we bought a load of heifers and had them shipped in, but it made me think of shipping time and sending calves to wheat pasture, or the feed yard.

Shipping time;

Bawling calves;

Dust cloud;

Diesel roar;

Headed west;

Time for rest.

"Bull Haulers" get a lot of abuse because they are often short on sleep and look like they've been living in their Peterbilt or, Kenworth for weeks on end -- which they probably have.  They ought to get our respect though, because they are the ones who drive endless miles getting the livestock to the next point in the production chain.  Cattle aren't like a cardboard box full of some unknown consumer good that can sit in a warehouse, or in the back of a truck while the trucker sleeps; they need to get where they are going as quickly as possible to reduce the stress and get them to feed and water.  The driver is the pilot, flight attendant and sometimes gate attendant all rolled into one.  They get the animals to their next home safely and efficiently no matter the weather or, the conditions.  Just like the rest of us, they sometimes need a pat on the back.  Their job is just as critical as anyone else's when it comes to putting high quality beef on the table.

Weather, Calving and Political Football

It's strange weather time here in northeast Texas.  It was 64 degrees at 6:00 a.m. with an expected high for the day of 54.  I think The Weather Channel is a bit off on their forecast.  By this evening we will be in the low 30's if they get that part correct.

Wide weather swings are hard on cattle and other animals who live out in it.  We have had rain the last few days that wasn't heavy, but was persistent.  Now, with a day of clearing, we get a 30 degree swing in temperature.

This is also the beginning of calving season for many cow herds in this area.  I'm sure that with the cold front pushing through there will be new babies born and their first wobbly steps will be cold ones.  Their mother will lick them dry and nudge them to get up and find the source of warm nourishment they vitally need.  Then they will lead them to a protected place and let them lie down and rest for a short while before making them get up again and nurse.  The process of leading them to a protected place is critical because it forces that newborn to gain control of those thin sticks underneath them so they will be better able to escape predators which might be lurking nearby.

If there is wind with the cold front that is also helpful because scavengers like the Black or, Mexican Vulture, have a more difficult time detecting the scent and are less likely to attack the cow and calf.  Coyotes rarely will go after a newborn unless it is injured, or the mother had difficulty in the birthing process and is unable to defend it.  They may watch from a short distance, but unless a "sure" opportunity is presented, they typically will move on in pursuit of a small rodent or, some other meal.

Black Vultures, on the other hand, if they spot a cow in the birthing process, will surround her in large numbers and try to kill the baby -- even before it is completely delivered.  They will drive the cow to distraction, sometimes causing her to step on the calf and injure it.  They may remain around the cow and newborn for hours after birth until hopefully, the cow is able to get the calf up and moving to safety in the brush where the birds are less able to get to it.  Often, she is totally exhausted by that time.  In this area, a large percentage of calves lost at birth fall to the vultures.

I suppose this isn't really a subject most people want to read about on their Saturday morning.  It's not enjoyable to think about, but it is the way the world works.  There are predators and vultures at every turn trying to take advantage of the helpless and defenseless.  One of the worst was recently removed from a high position in the Iranian military.  The event seems to have disturbed a bunch of other vultures -- many of which are in our nation's capital.  They are ones whose predatory ways could be stopped by the voters in their home districts.  It's too bad the people who keep them in power are deluded into believing they should remain in office.

On a related subject, the behavior I saw on videos of the signing of papers of impeachment really did remind me of vultures.  They surround and look for every opportunity to pounce on the one who ordered that one of their own be removed from this earth.  I guess when you think about it in those terms it makes more sense that they would behave in the manner they do.

Vultures have a place in nature.  The Black Vultures are an invasive species in this country.  The vultures in Washington are an invasive species in this land of freedom -- they want to take our freedom away.  Black Vultures are also prolific.  It seems there are more and more of them every year.  The same thing is happening with the DC vultures.  Maybe that's what they should re-name their football team since everyone has been up-in-arms about calling them the Redskins.  The "Washington Vultures" would be an appropriate name for the team which represents those in power...

I didn't intend to get political when I started out this morning....

Variation, Behavior and Blame

They say that variety is the spice of life and I agree; doing the same thing day after day gets old quickly and my productivity diminishes when that is the case.  I thought the image of this "tiger stripe" steer was fairly representative of variety.  He was part of a group we bought a couple of years ago.  These were on grass for a brief pre-conditioning period before going into the feedyard.  They grew well, performed well and made a little money in spite of the huge variation in the pen.

Variety is good for some things, but not for others.  Because of the genetic variation in this group of cattle, the tendency for them to "grow apart" as they aged was even worse than normal.  They were ready to harvest at different times.  Fortunately, they were finished at a facility that was willing to "top the pen" which means they shipped them to harvest in groups as they were ready.

These days, this kind of discussion causes a very negative reaction among many people.  Talking about "harvesting" these animals creates a feeling of revulsion.  I personally think it is because we anthropomorphize them through making pets part of "family" and watching television shows that focus on the "cuteness" of animals as opposed to their true nature or, purpose in the ecosystems they occupy. 

Cattle, quite simply, are born to be food.  It is their primary purpose for being on this planet.  They are a mobile, reproducing, energy harvesting machine that stores the energy from the sun which is first captured in plants and then concentrated in the tissue of the animal for later consumption.  They are uniquely and amazingly suited for that sole purpose.

The natural world is designed to function in ways we are only now beginning to understand.  All of life on this planet is dependent on energy from the sun for survival.  Each animal, including humans, is designed to fit specific niches in the environment.  Within those niches, animals tend to attempt modification of the environment to suit their own specific needs.  A great example of this is the beaver which builds dams in streams which change the water flow and thus the surrounding local ecosystem.  Sometimes those beaver dams get taken out by the raging torrent of a flooding river.

Humans are by far the worst at modifying the environment.  We lay acre after acre of concrete and asphalt that alters the planet.  Sadly, in our ignorance of the impact we have, we change the earth to the point that in some places it is to our own detriment.  Flooding and altered weather patterns can be a result.  Because of our egocentricity, we tend to place the blame on other things.  Right now, one of the primary objects of "blame" is animal agriculture -- the production of food from animals.  It seems strange to me that we would blame a natural process for issues resulting from our unnatural behavior.  That's not exactly accurate -- our alteration of the environment to suit our purposes is part of our natural behavior, it's just that we have the ability to understand and reason through the facts that point to the ultimate consequences of that behavior; the planet will fight back. 

U-turn for a Longhorn

Okay, I admit it; we stopped, turned around and drove back to take a few pictures of the Longhorns.  They were some impressive specimens of the breed and the one above was displaying an almost perfect classic set of horns.  I would bet they end up on someone's wall one of these days.  For now, though, they create a challenge for this old boy to move around among the trees.

This animal is carrying quite a bit of age to have horns of that size.  They also appear to have been trained.  Many raisers of Longhorn cattle will use horn weights to influence the growth pattern over time.  Completely natural growth can be a little more unpredictable with some turning down, or maybe they just aren't symmetrical.  The ones on this old steer are almost perfect.

When I think of Longhorns I see them in my mind on the trail up through the Plains where there isn't much in the way of natural obstacles for them to maneuver around except the occasional muddy river or, creek.  In this part of Texas, and down in the central and southern parts of the state where the trail drives originated, there was lots of brush, cactus, trees, rocks and other natural impediments to their travel.  They had to be constantly aware of the width of those ornaments in order to navigate effectively.  Yeah, it seems like a simple thing, but I hadn't really thought about it.

I find myself struggling through the woods and I'm not nearly as wide as those massive horns although I'm certainly wider than I once was.  I'm surprised he doesn't have a few tree branches hung on them that he likely tore off while passing through the brush.

I suppose this post isn't particularly deep, but sometimes I just need to record my meager thoughts in order to preserve them for the next time I forget.  Who knows, I might decide to plow into creating a novel about a cattle drive some day and need to recall this thought!  Well, maybe a short story is more likely.  Umm, a vignette?  I may have to be satisfied with this blog post that will perhaps aid some other writer who has more ambition.

I am happy we turned around.

The Chant Goes On

Buyers gather around the ring

To hear the auctioneer sing

"Look at these beauties!

Nice young Tiger-Stripe Heifers.

They'll make some dandy cows!

Let's start the bidding."

The chant begins to fill the air

And I look to see who's bidding there

As the Master with the silver tongue

Rolls up the bids I see nary one

With upraised hand

There in the attentive crowd.

Oh, wait, a finger by the nose,

The guy that's wearing farmer clothes,

I'm pretty sure he wants those girls

And over on the other side

I think he might be bidding too,

The one in the bright blue plaid.

He's got his card up by his chin

And taps it every now and then,

That's got to be the way he makes a bid.

Look, there in the back row

By the lady in the in the yellow cap,

I think he might be another one.

Pretty soon we hear, "Sold!"

And those heifers head out in the cold

As we find out that the buyer

Was "Kyle 3X-2"

So, they're headed out west

To wheat pasture for a few months.

"Look at this nice set of light steers!"

The caller chants to calm the fears

That this bunch might just be a wreck

When they get to their destination

Several hundred miles

From where they were born.

"Let's start the bidding...."

Diversity, Weakness and Business

We ran across this big boy yesterday and since he posed for me, I had to take a picture.  He seems to be frowning a bit, perhaps because I was an unknown intruder in his domain, but he seemed gentle enough.  I kept adequate distance between us, however, simply because his temperament was also an unknown.  The "zoom" function is an incredible invention!

Being married to a Realtor has its perks because occasionally a new property will come on the market which she thinks should be investigated.  That is how we happened to run across this hombre; we were out looking at a piece of property.

I'm not a Brahman cattle guy by any stretch, however, they intrigue me.  They have made a tremendous contribution to the U.S. cattle industry by adding a level of heat and insect tolerance through their genetics that is a valuable attribute in the Southeastern part of the country.  I stopped by a friend's place the other day who also raises Brahman cattle; they were licking the flies off of each other.  That isn't a behavior I have ever noted in English or Continental type cattle.  It was definitely something different, but perhaps it is part of why they are more insect tolerant.

It is easy to become focused on certain types of cattle that produce the product most desired by consumers while forgetting the many steps it took to get us to that point.  In that "forgetting" is a great loss, because we continually select for a narrow group of characteristics and often "breed out" things that are just as important.  Where I'm heading with this is that diversity is a good thing.

I have observed similar behavior in business.  Small organizations have a tendency to hire employees that are "most like" those already part of the team.  Often, it allows them to become very proficient at a specific task, but tends to prevent their growth over time.  Focus can be good, but it can also be limiting in such a way that opportunities are frequently missed.

Large organizations typically fall into two categories; just like the small ones described above, or so focused on diversity they fail to hire competency.  That second type is what gives a bad name to diversity.

The best approach to hiring is simply to do a self-evaluation prior to establishing the criteria for hiring.  That inward look is to determine strengths and weaknesses of the organization so that the job description for an open position can be shaped to hire a candidate that "checks the boxes" which overcome the weaknesses rather than simply to reinforce the strengths by being "most like us."

It is difficult for many in management to hire based on covering their own weaknesses.  It is an ego thing and it is not easy to overcome the fear that the new hire will outshine themselves.  Admitting you have weaknesses is not a behavior that is encouraged.  Think back to some of my previous posts regarding genetic programming for survival -- we are programmed to hide our weaknesses rather than to expose them.

Building a successful organization that is equipped for growth requires a willingness to constantly examine and evaluate areas of strength and weakness.  We go to a doctor for a physical exam to look for signs of disease; we should perform similar tasks on our businesses -- perhaps by utilizing outside expertise.

Diversity is a good thing.  It is the way we can improve and grow, but it must be done intentionally as a tool to overcome internal weakness, not simply as an exercise in "political correctness." 

A Little Trail History

The period just after the "War of Northern Aggression" was a tumultuous one.  The cattle of central and southern Texas had multiplied and gone wild while most of the adult male population was serving the Confederate cause in states far to the east.  Without fences, the animals had spread into the rugged Edwards Plateau region to the west of the primary settlements where ownership was questionable.  The opportunity to gather some of the unbranded stock and send it to northern and eastern markets allowed many entrepreneurial types to establish empires that last even today.

The National Road which connected the old, yet fast-growing village of San Antonio to the fledgling community of Dallas and further points, offered a guideline for herds heading north and east toward the railroads which were slowly making their way west across the plains after the war.  Missouri was the obvious choice and a few small bunches of cattle had been driven across The Territory by way of Fort Towson to Fort Smith, Arkansas, on the old Military Road and then up through Missouri as far as Saint Louis.

Because of the fear of Texas Fever, the good folks in Missouri soon refused to allow the Texas cattle into their state and a more direct route up the Shawnee Trail became the favored passage north. It connected to the National Road where it crossed the Red River north of Dallas and headed toward Fort Gibson and Baxter Springs before following the eastern edge of Kansas to the stockyards in Kansas City where eager buyers awaited.  It was 1865 before Jesse Chisholm, a long-time half-breed trader, established a wagon road from near the site of present-day Oklahoma City northward toward Council Grove and Fort Leavenworth in Kansas.

Much like the highways of today, the cattle were driven up various connecting trails that led in the general direction of their destination.  Those trails were a bit "fuzzy" because the routes varied slightly, depending on available grass and water.  Modern highways often follow the same general trails.  It is interesting to me to think about those cattle drives and the hazards they faced any time I travel those highways which I know followed their paths across the plains.

Time Travel

The trail is long,

The days are hot,

The dust chokes,

The sweat soaks,

The bugs bite,

Yet, there is delight

In thudding hoof

And cattle bawls

And clicking horns

And swishing tails

And drifting smells

Of the herd.

Invasive but Restful

There are many different kinds of American Asters of the Genus Symphyotrichum.  We usually call them daisies when we see them growing.  When they are in the pasture, they are a weed.  I have no idea what species this one might be.

There are many analogies that could be drawn from this photograph I took yesterday morning.  The most obvious being that sometimes things that are attractive are not necessarily the best for us.  I'll pass on the analogies today and just stick with the fact that I like flowers.  I enjoy the variety and beauty of wildflowers.  I don't want to see the pasture filled with them, but one occasionally is acceptable.

It would have been easy to just keep on rolling across the pasture and ignore this invasive beauty, but instead, we stopped and took photographs -- no, that isn't the correct term anymore -- digital images of the wild Asters.  It took only a couple of minutes and the reality is that the flowers break the monotony of the grasses (which is a good thing for cattle) and provide a restful image for the mind.

Sometimes we just need to be distracted -- even momentarily -- from the things that fill our mind which constantly demand our focus and our time.  We function best with breaks in the routine.  We just need to take time to "smell" the flowers.  It's amazing how rejuvenating it can be.

Cows for Sale

When you look across the pasture at a bunch of cattle and then do a double-take because you weren't sure at a glance whether that white one was a calf or one of the bulls, you know it's time to do some shipping.  It is nice to see the big old calves this year.  The one in the photo is in the second weaning group; the first group went to town last month.

The other thing I notice in this photo is the grass.  We are going into the Fall with more grass than we ever had at this time of year.  It has been a good year for growing forage.  Yes, there are a few weeds scattered out there, but not too bad.  If your pasture looks like your lawn you are probably spending too much money on herbicides.  This meadow has had no herbicide applied since we've owned this place.  It also has not been fertilized.  I don't believe it has suffered from lack of either.

This is a bittersweet time for us.  We are selling out.  We are supposed to close next week on the sale of the land.  We have a little time after that in which to disperse equipment and cattle.  If you have any interest in the cows, they are looking for a good home.  The list of equipment is fairly short and I would be happy to provide it to anyone interested.

It's likely this post will prompt a lot of questions among friends and acquaintances.  There is nothing going on except opportunity to pursue new things.  The land and cattle are a joy, but take a lot of time.  We found someone who fell in love with the land much as we did and we came to a mutually satisfactory agreement.

We may buy another place in the country at some point in the future, but for now we are selling out.  Again, we have put together some top genetics in our cows and would love to see them go to a good home that will appreciate their quality.  If you are interested, please contact me.  A Direct Message through Facebook or, Twitter would probably be the best method or, comment on the Blog with your e-mail if you don't already have my number or e-mail.

Genetics in Progress

No, they aren't twins, but they look like they could be.  These two look-alike calves are very similar in genetics; the difference is with the maternal grandmothers who were registered Angus.  The mothers had the same Brangus sire and these calves had the same Angus sire.

When I saw them nursing together late yesterday, my mind went back to childhood.  "Mom!  Can Alan stay for supper?"

These two half-sibling Fall-born calves spend all their time together.  They were born on the same day.  Their mothers are half-sisters.  I suppose it was inevitable they would share a meal occasionally.

One of my favorite parts of raising cattle is the young calves.  It is entertaining to watch them grow.  They will sometimes run as if they are racing you across the pasture.  You see them gain confidence and start hanging out with other calves rather than just mom.  You see them start to spend time away from the herd.  Each one is a little different in their behavior, but all of them go through similar processes which slowly lead to weaning and separation from the cow.

Cattle seem to have the process down.  It is genetically programmed into the animals and the environment in which they live determines, to some extent, the way each step occurs.  Humans need to take a lesson from cattle.  When I look around our country I think we, as a country, have lost the art of "weaning" children and of teaching them survival skills.  Sigh.  I'm thankful mine learned enough life skills that they are doing well on their own.

Oh, by-the-way, for those of you not in the cattle business, the breeding system outlined above for these two calves is how you get a uniform cow herd.  You build the uniformity of characteristics on the maternal side by introducing the genetics you need on the paternal side.  It's better to pay a little more for good bulls, or for an AI program, than to live with average genetics.  Fortunately, we started with outstanding genetics and have been tweaking the program ever since in order to adapt specifically to our local environment.  I'm pleased with the results.

Working Grasses

Maintaining a strong stand of grasses is critical to sustainability.  Rotational grazing allows periods of rest that give the grasses time to deepen their roots and to produce seed.  This area of our pasture is primarily Dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum) which some folks see as an invasive species.  Our cattle love it.  You do have to be careful because of the potential of a smut infecting the grass which causes problems.

I, of course, chose one of the cleanest, best-looking areas of the pasture for this photograph.  It's too bad all of the pasture doesn't look like this!  The rains this year have been helpful as well.

This pasture has had no fertilizer and no herbicide or, pesticide application since we have owned the place.  The soil here is alluvial and is sometimes covered with silt-laden water that pushes out of the nearby creeks.  The silt is captured by the grasses and the water running off of the land is cleaner than the water that runs onto it!  I wish the folks upstream from me used better management techniques for their land, but then we wouldn't get the benefit of their soil migrating onto ours.

There is a tremendous amount of "carbon capture" in this grass which is then cycled through the cattle.  The Dallisgrass in this meadow will produce 3 to 4 tons of hay per acre each year while maintaining this type of stand, anchoring the soil and capturing all that carbon while it filters the water passing over it.  That's a lot of work!

The meadow also offers food for a number of wildlife species.  Early in the morning, or just before sunset, we often see deer grazing in the meadow.  Our game cameras capture them at all hours of the night as well.  Without the open meadows of healthy grasses, wildlife populations would be significantly diminished.  Deep in a dense forest there is often a lack of food sources for wildlife.  With the variety of both grasslands and forests, the number of food species increases dramatically.  The "edge" where the transition between forest and grassland occurs is crucial to wildlife and frequently where they will be found -- close to food, yet within easy distance to cover.

Now, if we just didn't have the feral hogs that roam the area and tear up the meadow....

Food In Balance

There is an area behind our Vet Shed that is not accessible to the cattle and the grass tends to get very lush.  A water hydrant is located there for the occasions when we need to hook up a hose and fill a tank, or whatever.  Late yesterday as I was waiting for my spouse to turn the water on so I could fill a tub, I could hear her talking.  I couldn't make out the words and thought she might have received a call on her cell phone.  Nope, she was talking to this little guy who was hidden in the deep grass.

We have a number of cottontail rabbits that hang out around our place.  I believe this to be an Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus).  It is estimated they have an 85% mortality rate prior to reaching maturity -- most of that before ever leaving the nest.  They also are very fertile and have 4 to 5 litters which average about 4 babies each year.  I think their primary role in the environment must be to provide food to predators!

I enjoy seeing the rabbits.  To me, they are an indicator of the health of the land and our local ecosystem.  It is also a joy when the grandchildren spot one.  Their excited voices and happy chatter thrill my heart.

Taking care of the land for future generations is important.  It is something the ranching community does very well.  Usually, there is a multi-generational outlook with a strong desire to see the land passed down to children, grandchildren and more.  Because of that view, ranchers tend to be good stewards and have been practicing sustainable techniques for generations.  Certainly mistakes are made, but subsequent generations apply new knowledge and seek to leave the land in even better shape than that in which it was received.  That is why we see wildlife thrive in areas where ranching is strong.

Just like the rabbits which provide food for carnivores, the cattle are destined to be food.  It is the way the natural system is designed and it is something that many fail to recognize today.  They see the rabbit and think, "what a cute bunny!"  They don't think about the high mortality rates due to it being a food species.  They see a newborn calf and think, "what a cute calf!"  Also, not accepting intellectually that it is destined to be food.  The movement toward an anti-meat society is as destructive of the environment as is the paving of our cities and suburbs.  It doesn't account for the required balance that must occur between plant eaters, meat eaters and carrion eaters.  Our children need to be educated in the realities of a natural system that is one of balance.

Cows, Cities, Water and Wildlife

We have a few cows that like to go swimming.  They don't stay in the water very long, but nearly every afternoon at about the same time they walk into the water and hang out for awhile.  This was taken yesterday as we were checking cattle, which we do every day.

When I saw this, my mind overlayed a scene from the movie "Apocalypse Now" when the guy rose up out of the swampy water.  It also made me think of the character John Clark of Tom Clancy novel fame when in "Rainbow Six" he goes into Vietnam on a rescue mission and spends a great deal of time in a similar situation of using the water as cover and then rising up out of it.  Of course, the most obvious mental comparison is to an alligator, or crocodile, sitting motionless in the water with just the top of their head showing as they lurk in hope of unwary prey.

Many people claim that black-hided cattle don't do well in a hot humid environment such as we have in our part of Texas.  You can tell from the photo that this lady is, ahem, well-insulated.  Yes, she takes a dip in the pond to cool off, but she seems to do quite well at maintaining a beyond respectable body weight.  In reality, only about 10% of our cows regularly enter a pond to cool off -- even on the hottest days.  I think that number would be similar for almost any breed of cattle in our climate.

We provide separate, clean drinking water for our cattle.  We have water tanks available that are plumbed to the rural water system so the cattle always have fresh, cool water available to drink.  We also have plenty of areas where there are shade trees deliberately left standing in the pasture in order to provide a place in which the animals can rest.

Those trees also provide roosting and nesting sites for birds.  The ponds provide a home for fish and turtles and a place for wildlife to find water during periods of drought when water is difficult to find.  A lot of people don't realize that many of the water resources for wildlife across the country are there because of cattle ranchers who build the ponds and other small reservoirs to provide water to their stock.  The added benefit is to the wildlife such as waterfowl who are often seen on those stock ponds.

Depending on the time of year, we often see ducks and geese migrating through.  The stock ponds make "safe stops" for those waterfowl -- sort of like a "bed and breakfast" with a meal and place to rest.

 The ponds also help to control erosion.  When there is heavy rain, they provide a "check" to the rushing waters that would eventually eat away the land and leave deep gullies and washes.  Instead, there are grassy waterways which filter the water which goes first into the pond and then as it becomes full, pass over a spillway and continue further down a grass-covered waterway to the next pond.  It prevents the full force of the waters from rushing into streams and rivers and helps to reduce the flooding by slowing runoff.

Flooding is becoming worse because we have so much development with housing and concrete and paved roads.  The water doesn't percolate into the soil, but instead runs off.  On ranch land the story is different as described above.  Not only is the speed of flow reduced, but the water is filtered by the grasses and therefore much cleaner when it enters the streams which often flow into large reservoirs which then are used to provide drinking water to the cities.

Yeah, I'm rambling a bit this morning.  It's a long way from "Apocalypse Now" to city water supplies -- or, maybe not.  I fear that the amount and availability of sufficient drinking water for exploding populations may be the largest single potentially apocalyptic situation we face.  We see flooding in the east and drought in the west.  People are blaming it on climate change yet, we hear lots of rhetoric and hand-wringing and little understanding or, action.  By action, I'm thinking in reference to how cities are growing and spreading and adding to the problems while the ranchers who do the things like controlling erosion and encouraging grasses to cover the ground, which by-the-way also have a cooling effect, are being blamed.  The thinking is absolutely upside down.  That's par for the course, though; it is the people who are exploiting the situation that push the messaging which inspires panic in order to profit from others -- much like "war profiteers" who did the same during the various conflicts that periodically occur around the globe.  I suppose, in a way, that completes the circle from a cow in a pond to "Apocalypse Now."  Well, sort of....

Blending In and Standing Out

Coloration in animals is interesting to me.  I'm not thinking about it from the genetics standpoint, but from the way it helps them to blend into their surroundings.  Take this white calf for instance; from a genetics standpoint his mother was black and daddy was white (dominant genetically), but from a blending in standpoint he looks like you could spot him a mile away.  Did you notice the one behind him in the photo?  There is another one just as white standing in the shade and blending in nicely with the trees and grasses.

We also have some black calves.  They are from our Fall calving herd.  They have black mothers and black fathers.  From a genetics standpoint, it's an easy one; from a coloration standpoint, you'd think they would also be easy to spot.  Not so!  Even in the open pasture with nothing around but grass, they will lie in the deep grasses and flatten their head to the ground and at a distance, if you can see them at all, might look like a "cow patty" (manure pile).  When in the shadows, they completely disappear.

There have been times when we headed out to check cattle and had to hunt pretty hard to find them because they were lying in the shade somewhere.  From a distance they just looked like shadows.

The amazing thing to me is that the same coloration that makes the animal highly visible in some cases makes them virtually invisible in others.  When you think about that within the framework of the predator-prey relationships of animals it makes sense.  The adult prey animals, such as cattle, sometimes need to be highly visible in order to attract the attention of predators away from their more vulnerable young.

There are times that I am trying to get a good count on new babies and have to search pretty hard to find them.  The mothers will "plant" the babies in cover somewhere then go off to graze or to find water.  I also think they deliberately leave them at a distance (but within their sight) to teach them the discipline of remaining hidden in cover.  It is instinctual and programmed into their genetics to do so.  As I am searching for the babies I keep my eye on the cows.  Sometimes one will give indication that I am getting close to her hidden calf through her behavior.  It is often greater attentiveness or an "act" of calling and moving in a different direction as if searching for her calf.  If I appear to be a threat to the baby she will often come at a run in order to protect.  Sometimes she brings "friends" along too.

When I think about the predators, though, I see something slightly different.  Most of them seem to have a coloration that helps them to blend into almost any natural color scheme.  They are typically some combination of gray, black and tan that is of a pattern natural to their native environment.  Leopards are spotted in a way that mimics the pattern of leaf shadows.  Lions are the color of dried grasses.  Polar bears are as white as the snowy landscape in which they live.

Watching animals teaches me a lot about people....

Contentment or Distraction?

There were four birds upon a line

Watching cattle grazing.

Said the one upon the left,

"Isn't that amazing?

They eat the grass and then lay down

To chew upon their cud.

They have no ambition

And do no kind of good."

Another bird, one of the four,

Said, "That's not the life for me.

I'd rather go exploring

And nest up in a tree."

And still another looked at them

And said, "Traveling is best;

I'm just stopping here awhile

And then I'm headed west.

Being stuck there in one place

With naught to see but grass

Would simply drive me crazy;

On that life, I would pass!"

The fourth looked at the other three

And said, "I love to fly!

Can you imagine life

Not reaching for the sky?"

So, each of them within his turn

Found reason to complain

While they looked down from their perch on high

With comments all in vain.

Along there came a hunter

Looking for the flying dove

Who saw the birds upon the wire

Distracted there above.

He slipped up quietly on them;

When startled, they took wing

But, only a short distance

Before the shots did sing.

The lesson that they might have learned

While looking on the cow

Is that they should have focused

On the simple here and now.

Judging others from on high

Based on what you see

Distracts you from your purpose

When it might be time to flee!

(If you look closely, in the top right portion of the photo are four birds on the wire.  I didn't notice them until I had posted the picture for today.  They sent my mind down the path of this poem.)

Sometimes We Need Help

Animals, just like humans, sometimes get sick.  This little guy is an orphan.  We don't know what happened to his mother, but one day she seemed perfectly healthy and the next day she was gone.  This young (about 6 week old) bull calf was "stealing" milk from the other cows that had calves at their side and had started eating grass.  We watched him closely for a few days and he seemed to be doing okay, but then on Monday of this week I spotted him off by himself and showing signs of respiratory distress.  I immediately got out of the pickup and herded him to the corrals on foot.  The fact that I could do so was an indicator that he didn't feel well.

We began to treat him for the respiratory problem and to hand feed him.  He was going downhill, so on Wednesday we took him to the Veterinarian.  She has access to more powerful tools than we do and by Wednesday evening he was feeling much better.  The photo is from late yesterday when he nearly knocked me down to get the bottle.  It was gratifying to see that he seemed to feel much better and signs of the respiratory issue were gone.

Unlike humans, animals are unable to ask for help when they are in distress.  In fact, animals such as cattle are naturally wary of giving any indication that they don't feel well because they are naturally prey animals.  It is the sick and distressed that are usually first to fall to predators.  I have observed sick cattle "put on an act" of feeling well and "pretending" to eat in order to appear healthy.  Sometimes it is very difficult to spot a health problem until the animal is extremely sick and difficult to heal.

As I have mentioned before in this blog, we feel a deep responsibility to the animals within our care.  We monitor them daily in order to make certain they have adequate food and water and that they are healthy.  Occasionally, something will happen to one of them that is inexplicable -- such as the loss of this calf's mother -- but, for the most part, we are able to catch any problems early and to deal with them expeditiously.  It is important that we have the tools to do so in order to prevent undue suffering.

The movement to ban the use of antibiotics in livestock production is one that threatens our ability to deal with issues, such as the respiratory problems this calf had, in a timely fashion.  The medicines with which he was treated will be completely metabolized and gone from his system within a matter of a few short weeks.  The labels include withdrawal times and dosages which we record and keep, along with other information about the event, in a file if an animal must be treated.  Hopefully, this calf will be able to go on and live out a normal, healthy life in which he will thrive until he fulfills his ultimate purpose of providing nutritious protein for human consumption.

As I think about it, I realize that the inability to ask for help sometimes applies to humans as well.  In us, it isn't so much that we are incapable, it is that our pride or, our personality make it extremely difficult.  We also are influenced by the way in which we were raised -- especially in rural America where independence and self-reliance are deeply rooted in the culture.  For some reason this morning, I feel it is important to say that it is okay to ask for help.  Don't be like the calf in the photo who would have died in his loneliness had I not observed his condition and intervened.  If you need help, ask for it.  Ask friends, neighbors, family, or one of the many organizations that are out there for help.  There are good people who will be there for you if they know you need it.

Just my thoughts this morning....